Musical Textures and Forms

Musical Textures and Forms

Texture in Music

The way the melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic materials are combined in a composition.

Monophony

One or more voices or instruments perform a single melody.

“One Year Begins Lady Lothian's Lilt”http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/wintersever-lightdarkness/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbiZulU70J0

Bach, Suite No. 1 for Cello Solo in C Major

http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/paternoster-cellosuites1/

Homophony

One independent melodic line accompanied by other voices or instruments.

W. A. Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 21http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKZr3ExeXUc&list=PLF03B0C0C7E1EABCB

http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/voicesofmusic-bach/

J. S. Bach, Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3 (BWV 1068)

http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/abaroque-mozart/http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/8/86/IMSLP26717-PMLP59217-Mozart_-_Oboe_Quartet__K.370__Boosey_score_.pdf

Polyphony

• Two or more equally independent melodies occur at the same time.• Often is based on imitation.

Bach, Fugue in D Major - 4 voices (each comes in a different color)- Is based on imitation (each voice is entering with the same melody)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0HoK8yZS1c

Surge Illuminare by Palestrinahttp://magnatune.com/artists/albums/zephyrus-angelus/

Listening Activity

Determine the texture (monophonic, homophonic, or polyphonic).

1. http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/bachplay-bacharr/2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkipsBpOkYI3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxG-kOTMgaA

MotiveA short distinctive idea or unit. Can consist only of a few notes or rhythms.May be used to construct complete melodies, themes, and pieces.

http://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/motive.php

Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 1st Movementhttp://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/symphony-no-5-ludwig-van-beethoven/

Phrase, Period

A musical unit that has a complete musical sense. Phrases are built from motives and combined to form larger sections of a composition.Cadence – a harmonic progression that gives a phrase a distinctive ending.Two or more phrases can be organized into a period.

Please press play button when you access this link.http://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/phrase.php

http://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/period.php

Listen for motives, phrases and periods:W. A. Mozart, Symphony No. 34, Finalehttp://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/symphony-no-34-in-c-wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/

Musical Form

The overall structure of a piece of music.Labeling contrasting and repetitive sections of a piece with letters.

Binary Form: AB

http://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/binary01.phphttp://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/binary02.phphttp://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/binary03.phphttp://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/suite/courante.phphttp://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/suite/air.php

Please be sure you press “play” buttons and listen to the examples.

Ternary Form: ABA

http://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/ternary01.phphttp://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/ternary02.phphttp://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/ternary03.php

Please be sure you press “play” button and listen to the examples.

Rondo Form: ABACADA

http://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/rondo01.phphttp://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/rondo02.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUcgLs1eVaE

Please be sure you press “play” button and listen to the examples.

Theme and Variations

A A1 A2 A3 A4 A5A – themeA1, A2, etc. – variations on the theme

Listening:http://content.thespco.org/music/compositions/variations-on-a-rococo-theme-piotr-ilyich-tchaikovsky/

A score to the listening above: http://erato.uvt.nl/files/imglnks/usimg/2/28/IMSLP19116-PMLP04622-Tchaikovsky_Rococo_Var__Russian___Fitzenhagen__score.pdf

Listening Activity As you listen to the following composition, please note:1. How many variations.2. How the theme is altered in each variation.

Arensky, Variations on a Theme of TchaikovskyLink to the score (please listen looking at the score):http://erato.uvt.nl/files/imglnks/usimg/1/13/IMSLP94157-PMLP194168-Arensky__AS__Variations_on_a_Theme_by_P.Tschaikovsy__Op.35a_FS.pdf

Link to the music:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRKiE8o3NQU

Required Readings• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texture_(music)• http://cnx.org/content/m11645/latest/• http://www.teoria.com/tutorials/forms/index.php